A great guide for those who want to learn to make more realistic/artistic buildings and landscapes. Lots of good tips and techniques for the intermediate artist.

The book has the same structure as most art teaching books have. It presents his favourite materials, from pens to colour markers and paper. But more than that, he gives tips to help you choose your materials. And Kiefer even encourages you to try other materials from the ones he uses so you can find what fits best. If there’s one thing to take out of this book, make it your own. After all, that’s what art is all about. There isn’t a right or wrong way. Only different ways. This is his way.

There’s also a chapter about gathering the source material for the sketches. From drawing on-site to his photography and even using images off the internet. There is no wrong way to gather the source. There are different methods, and they are all valid. What matters is capturing the moment in the sketch. For drawing on-site, Kiefer also gives some tips on how he usually organises his supplies for a quick sketch on the go.

Kiefer shows his process of creating and giving movement to the drawings. Through simplification, re-imagining the buildings instead of doing a very faithful and realistic portrait of it. One thing Kiefer moves away is the realistic perspective. It’s visible in the sketches the objective isn’t a picture-perfect representation but instead bringing them to life. To give personality to the drawing. For extra help, there are QR codes, which link to short videos to better illustrate the text. Sometimes, a still image might not be enough to convey the message, and a video can help you visualise what the author is trying to say.

There’s also a more theoretical part to the book about colour. The different values, the light and shadows, and how to colour in your sketch. And for me, that’s probably some of the most important pages of the book. Then, it moves on to show how to construct the sketch from the basic shape to the details that give more life to the drawing. The attention to the composition, the perception of depth, and the perspective. So it’s a book fitting for anyone who wants to try this art form, even if you don’t have any drawing experience.

When it presented the various stages of the sketch, I felt it reached a point where it was a bit repetitive. And it’s understandable why. The process is always the same. There was variation in the sketches presented, so there was something different to point out. But overall, it was much the same. The directions are straightforward and pragmatic. That allowed me to do whatever I wanted to the sketch as long as I was careful to work from light to dark. You can never lighten a colour marker. That’s the rule. And there isn’t much to say about the colouring process. It’s intuitive for the most part. And it showed me that I still need to learn not to colour so much. Balancing the colour with the white of the page is important. By trying to do the same sketches Kiefer shows in the book, I could see that very clearly. Remember: less is more.

I didn’t come out of this book sketching like Kiefer or doing magic with colour markers the way he does. Although it’s an outlet and an excuse to sketch. And while colouring is something new to me that I need practice to choose more wisely, I also learned something about myself. I felt more comfortable using colour before sketching. Having already drawn lines made me want to colour inside those lines. And that’s not the point. Coloured markers are bulky and create bold, strong and expressive strokes. So, colouring before made me embrace that more because I had no limit. No restrains. Also, it made me think more about the strokes’ direction since it was still only a blank page without any other indication of where the sketch was going.

One thing I was expecting to see more of was tips and tricks for on-site drawing. Since this book is fit for beginners, I was expecting a little more help if someone wants to draw outside. We don’t realise until we try it, but our brains see in 3D, and it’s hard to convert what we see to 2D. Cameras make it look so easy. And that’s even a good trick if your drawing is not coming out right. Just take a picture. Although there are other ways to help you convert what you see into 2D and even help with perspective. And sadly, I didn’t see that talked about in the book. While Kiefer has no problems with using photos instead of on-site drawing, it would also be nice to have some tips and tricks if a beginner wants to try it.

Overall, it’s an inclusive book. It teaches the basics and leaves room to explore and do differently. After all, the objective is to find your own style. Not to copy Kiefer. It’s to understand what his squiggly lines do to the sketch. How to think about colouring in your sketch. How to start a sketch. What to look out for. How to bring life and originality to something as simple as a sketch.

This book is super informative and will help you sketch the cutest, coziest houses. Well worth a try, with sketches of varying complexity.

I love how comprehensive this book was + all the super helpful tips the author provided on how to get started + advice on improving different techniques. This seemed great for beginning/intermediate artists and I enjoyed how the lessons were structured.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC!

Housesketching by Albert Kiefer is one of the most comprehensive drawing guides I have read. There are breakdowns for everything from choosing a subject, to perspective, coloring and sharing finished works. Additionally, there are QR codes to see accompanying video demonstrations which are very helpful.

I really liked this book but I didn't have a lot of time to practice with the book.
So I put the book on my wishlist so I can practice more.
And I would love to see the drawings on paper instead of a computer screen.

Beautiul book full of great inspiration for sketching houses whehter on travel or building a day to day habit. I love thet the scope is not to broad, so it's not overwhelming.

Packed full of detailed information, this book is essential for both beginner and intermediate artists. Useful tips and accounts of the author's own experiences will help take your sketches up a level. Recommended.

Housesketching - Learn to Create Energetic and Expressive Architectural Drawings
by Albert Kiefer is immersive, inspirational and highly informative. The style is dynamic and fun and the lessons are well structured and easy to follow. Loved it!


Thank you to NetGalley, Quarto Publishing Group – Quarry | Quarry Books and the author Albert Kiefer for this fantastic ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

I recently read a book called "Housesketching" by artist Albert Kiefer. The book covers various aspects of creating whimsical and dynamic artworks, starting with explanations of the artist's preferred tools, reference images, perspective, color and shading techniques, as well as exaggeration of proportions and keeping lines loose. I found the use of silhouettes, blocking, and the mention of horizon lines from different perspectives particularly interesting and useful. The book also includes QR codes linking to tutorials, which I thought was a nice addition.

The second part of the book focuses on practical application. It provides a reference image and a list of recommended markers (Copic and W&N) to achieve the desired effects. The process is broken down step-by-step with accompanying images to guide the reader through the sketching and coloring process.

The book concludes with a section on sharing one's work, whether on social media or monetizing it, along with recommendations from the author and information on archiving.

As a teacher, I'm excited to apply the techniques and methods outlined in this book to enhance my own artwork and teach my students new skills.

Book Review: Housesketching by Albert Kiefer

Rating: 4 Stars

I recently had the pleasure of reviewing "Housesketching: Learn to Create Energetic and Expressive Architectural Drawings" by Albert Kiefer, and it was a delight! As someone who loves to sketch—especially architecture—I found this book to be an inspiring guide on how to infuse life and personality into my drawings.

In Housesketching, Kiefer invites us to let go of the rigid standards that often accompany architectural sketches. With his approachable techniques, he encourages us to explore our creativity and sketch the buildings and landmarks that resonate with us. The book is packed with insights on how to create unique and expressive drawings, moving beyond mere representation to capture the essence of our subjects. Whether it’s a quaint house, a bustling shop, or a stunning landmark, Kiefer teaches us how to embrace our style, even if it means stepping away from perfect lines and precision.

What I particularly appreciate about this book is its accessibility. Kiefer breaks down each step, making it easy for anyone—whether a complete beginner or someone looking to enhance their skills—to follow along. He even provides a list of recommended art supplies, which I found incredibly helpful. The fifteen step-by-step projects are engaging and allow readers to sketch alongside him, making the learning process interactive and fun.

One of my favorite features is the QR codes scattered throughout the book that link to video tutorials. This added layer of interactivity really helps clarify some of the techniques and gives you a chance to see Kiefer’s methods in action. It’s a great way to enhance your understanding and application of the concepts he discusses.

As I sat outside sketching my surroundings, I felt a wave of relaxation wash over me. There’s something magical about capturing the world around you on paper, and Kiefer's guidance truly enhances that experience. The sketches and finished drawings featured in the book are not only beautiful but also serve as a wellspring of inspiration.

Overall, I would rate Housesketching a solid four stars. It’s an encouraging guide that equips aspiring artists with the tools they need to sketch energetically and expressively. I'm genuinely excited to try out the techniques outlined in this book and can already feel my passion for sketching architecture growing stronger. If you’re looking for a way to elevate your sketching game while enjoying the process, give this book a shot!

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

I love this art style and the book gives such helpful step-by-step visuals on how to build up the paintings. Iʻve seen Albert Kieferʻs work on Instagram in the past so it was so nice to read the background behind his art and techniques.
I will definitely try the style out! I highly recommend it for artists or people who are interested in sketching for fun.

Can you bring the personality of a house to life on the page? I bet you can after you study this delightful book by Kiefer.

It's more than caricature, more than cartoon. The step-by-step instructions and projects will show you how to create lively sketches of places in which you and others live.

I like this book as a traveler who sees homes and offices that are unique to their country or special in construction. Until now, I haven't known how to capture that essence.

Whether you're an experienced artist exploring a new genre, whether you're an observer or tourist, or whether you're a new artist, have fun with this one.

It was fun seeing the author render his houses in 5 steps. Wonderful that you also get access to videos to see the techniques. I personally was not able to see the videos but I can imagine how useful and helpful it’d be to able to watch him sketch and paint. I’ve always thought learning art is better by video than in a book as you can see every little step in a video. You get the best of both worlds with this title.

A great book for those who want to improve their housesketching with a loose style and by using markers. It did make me want to run and get my art supplies and get some sketching done.

5 stars

4.5 rounded up.

This was a wonderful illustration course from Kiefer, showing mainly how to reproduce his style, but in the process encouraging the reader and showing them how to develop their own. I enjoyed lessons on things like perspective, value, how much detail to put in and how much to leave out, colour, and more.

Although Kiefer draws on paper using markers, I tried out these techniques in Procreate, and that worked out fine. QR codes are available throughout the book linking to process videos, and making this a very comprehensive set of lessons.

Many thanks to NetGalley and to Quarry Books for early access.

I was very pleased with this guide. I (indeed) love the style of the artist, but I find the book to be very practical, and useful about both materials and method. This is a very good book for both beginners and intermediate drawing artists.

I want to start by saying that I loved the dedication.

The first chapter is called "My approach" and I have to say, I love it. This way the author doesn't state that his way is the only way, but it's simply how he like to do things. It also makes me feel that the author is humble and sincere. Here are presented materials and tools, but also how to find inspiration. Where he explains certain techniques, you can find QR codes that would take you to a tutorial.

The second chapter presents the whole process with many easy to understand explanations and it also has the QR codes I've mentioned above.

The next chapter demonstrates how the techniques presented can be used in actual project from start to finish, and the colors used are listed as well.

The final chapter is something I don't usually see in art-focused book. It presents ways to make your art seen by the world. But also how to monetize it if you want to be a full time artist.

After that, the author shows his evolution over the years and I think it's a great reminder that you're not gonna be great at something for the beginning and everything takes time and patience and lots of practice.

The art style itself was really pleasant and the way this book is written made me feel really good (which can be a bit weird for a non-fiction book imo), but I just felt like the author was right next to me, being the kind teacher everybody loves.

In conclusion, if you are into art and want to try new things or specifically to sketch houses, I 100% recommend this book.

This is a great book to get you to sketch what you see and the impression that it makes on you. Housesketching is about bringing out certain characteristics of places, while not being an exact drawing of them- which leads to them having more emotion intrinsically.
Kiefer gives you all the basic info you need about perspective, shading, shaping from a basic outline, and how to create the character in a building. The case studies are great as you get walked through the process, and you get to see which markers Kiefer used, to get an idea of how colors can go together to create drama in a housesketch. By giving hints on how to share on social media, he also offers some needed business advice to newbies at making their art pay for itself! Overall it's a fun way to learn something new, and I highly recommend it to the kids screaming 'I'm bored" and their parents- who knows, they might come up a with a new source of income!

As an artist I enjoyed this book immensely. The first part where all the materials are explained is very informative and surely very appreciated by people who don’t know where to begin. I liked the layout of the book and it helps to make it more readable. Also, the additional tutorials were easy to follow and very helpful.
Personally, I fancy his way of sketching a lot. You can feel his freedom while drawing. The sketches are so expressive that they made me realize how stiff I can get about drawing some elements and it helped me to loosen my hand a bit.
Finally, I appreciated the art timeline at the end. It is so good to be able to understand that art is a never ending process. That maybe you are not where you want to be yet, but by watching other artists grow you can see where you could land.
This is a complete guide of fundamentals to achieve a good result. I would say that mostly a good reminder of perspective.

In art I prefer living things to still life and landscapes, but this wonderful little book makes me want to begin instantly housesketching. I like the freestyle and the characterization of the houses. Very inpirational, full of energy and color, useful advices and the know-how. Absolutely recommended.